Santa Barbara Olive Co. products include:
Olives
Olive oils
Condiments
Salsas
Pasta sauces
Pickled vegetables, including baby corn, asparagus, green beans and mushrooms
Dressing and marinades
A tip about olives --
If a white residue appears on top of the olives, it is a process called oxidation involving a reaction between the vinegar and air and is not detrimental to your health.
Are olives fattening? “Our olives average 4 to 5 calories each and contain no cholesterol,” Cindy explains. “Olives also naturally contain vitamins B6, A, C, plus fiber, ash, protein and most of the essential minerals needed for a good daily diet.”
|
|
|
|
 |
Although Craig and Cindy Makela do like a good martini, that isn’t exactly why they got into the olive business.
In 1848 Craig’s great-great-grandfather, Jules Goux, emigrated from France, started a vineyard and built the first winery and saloon in Santa Barbara. The dowry of Jules’ Mexican wife included olive tree cuttings. Their son, John Emile Goux, planted the first commercial olive grove in the United States in 1851.
Craig, like Jules, started out in the wine business, but he and Cindy saw the growing interest in olive oil and went back to Craig’s roots. Following in a family tradition more than 150 years old, they started out in 1982 with only 7 acres and a willingness to do whatever job was at hand, from making marketing calls to driving the delivery truck. Over the next 5 to 8 years, as the olive trees matured to harvestable stage, they purchased more land. They now harvest more than 5,000 olive trees on 100 acres on the beautiful Santa Barbara County coast.
At first the Makelas made olive oil, but now only about 10% of their crop goes to oil and the rest is cured as table olives. They grow five olive varieties: Barouni, Sevillano, Ascalano, Manzanillo, and Mission. Craig has also planted Calamata trees, the first to be grown on the California coast. California-grown garlic and almonds are used in the stuffed olives.
The olive crop is harvested, sorted and cold-packed by hand, using one of four curing methods: Spanish, Sicilian, brine and dry-cured. “We don’t use any chemicals,” explains Craig. “Our olive products are packed cold by hand and require only sea salt, cider vinegar and/or purified water, unless it says differently on the label.”
Several varieties of certified organic olives are available. All of the Santa Barbara Olives are certified kosher, except five: Calamata, Anchovy Stuffed, Hickory Smoked, Martini Stuffed and Wine Cured. All their marinated vegetables are certified kosher, except the Marinated Mushrooms and Asparagus.
The Makelas are very particular about olives. “When we select our olives, each one has to be perfect in shape, color and size,” says Craig proudly, “We use only the top 10% of any particular orchard at any time.”
But olives aren’t the full story. Santa Barbara Olive Co. produces a wide range of choices from a variety of olives to pickled vegetables, such as asparagus spears to spice up a Bloody Mary. Craig says with a smile, “We’re happy to help cocktail lovers accessorize their drinks.”
|
|
|
|
